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6 January 2016

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Using The Word “Binatang–Binatang” Is A Security Threat − Malaysian Film Censorship Board http://ow.ly/WDp0w 

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‘Friends’ mistaken for ‘animals’, say censors over cut in Singapore film

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KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian censors said their decision to snip the Bahasa word “binatang-binatang” or “animals” from a Singaporean film was to prevent misunderstanding, especially among the Malays in the country.

Malaysian Film Censorship Board chairman Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said the decision to seek the removal of the word was made in accordance with local film guidelines, and that translation and use of improper words in the dialogue should be filtered.

“Animals have been used in reference to friends,” he said.

“That was not the right word to use. When we do censoring, we will base it on our own guidelines.

“In the story, it shows a man talking to his statue. When translated into the Malay, the man said, ‘This evening we will meet my friends’ but the statue replied ‘this evening we will meet the animals’.

“There are three reasons (for the cut). First, the statue made the assumption that the friends are the same as animals. Second, the statue thought that the man had wanted to meet his friends who are also animals.

“And third, the Malays may interpret this as an insult because ‘kawan-kawan’ and ‘binatang’ have different meanings,” Mr Halim told The Malaysian Insider.

He said misunderstanding could arise over the conversation in the film over the use of “kawan-kawan” (friends) and “binatang” (animals).

http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/friends-mistaken-animals-say-censors-over-cut-singapore-film

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4 January 2016

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Filmmaker @tanpinpin pulls Singapore GaGa from Malaysia event over censorship http://bit.ly/1JoAb6r 

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Singapore GaGa – Another Tan Pin Pin movie cannot clear censor hurdle

ICYMI: Award winning Singaporean filmmaker’s movie does not clear the censors again. This time in Malaysia… http://fb.me/Zi4BBwo0

Singapore GaGa, a 55-minute paean to the quirkiness of the Singaporean aural landscape which features Singapore’s buskers, street vendors, and school cheerleaders, is banned by the Malaysian censors as they deemed that the movie “could be a “security threat” and “create doubt and restlessness” among citizens”, the filmmaker writes on her Facebook.

Pin Pin’s movie was supposed to be screened by Titian Budaya, a creative collaborative between Singapore and Malaysia, as part of its Singapore Film Festival in Malaysia from 14 – 17 January 2016.

The organisers of the Film Festival appealed to the chief censor of the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia, but the appeal was rejected last week.

The censors wanted to censor a part in the film where late Singaporean ventriloquist Victor Khoo (of ‘Victor and Charlee’ fame), says “animals” in Malay along with the subtitle of “animal” in Malay.

“This goes against the film Censorship guidelines Ministry of home affairs Part II:2.1.1 (v) Dialogue can create doubt and restlessness among citizens and finally may cause a security threat, disturbance of public peace and national defense”, the Malaysian censors tell the organisers.

“This is the part of the film where Victor Khoo and Charlee are entertaining kids and he teases the kids by calling them animals in Malay. I have decided to keep the film intact and hence would need to withdraw the film from the event, which I have done.

“Censorship is arbitrary and nonsensical. Security threat indeed!” Ms Tan said about the censorship on her Facebook.

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